Babar Azam wants Pakistan Cricket Team captaincy of all three formats back
Babar Azam, the star Pakistan cricket team batter, is back in the captaincy conversation, but on his own terms. After being stripped of the captaincy in all formats following a disappointing World Cup 2023 campaign, Azam is reportedly demanding a return to leadership across all three formats – Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) recently offered Babar Azam the T20I captaincy, a role currently held by Shaheen Shah Afridi. However, Azam has not accepted, seeking a reinstatement as captain in all formats. This has sparked debate among fans, with some calling him “selfish” for demanding a complete return.
Shaheen Afridi’s stint as T20I captain appears to be over before it truly began. Appointed after Azam’s removal, his leadership resulted in a 4-1 series defeat against New Zealand and a disappointing showing with his PSL team, Lahore Qalandars.
This, coupled with the PCB’s change in leadership, led to a swift loss of faith in his captaincy potential.
Babar Azam’s demand for full captaincy puts current Test skipper Shan Masood in a precarious position. Though Masood’s lone series in charge ended in a 3-0 loss to Australia, his aggressive approach was praised.